Next to your dress, the cake is probably a wedding's most important icon. And whether you want a traditional multitiered confection, a miniature Statue of Liberty (hey, that's where he proposed!) or a cupcake tower, your wedding cake should reflect your personality.

When it comes to choosing your wedding cake, the options are truly endless. Buttercream, ganache, or fondant? Sugar flowers or fresh blooms? Intricate piping or a rustic semi-naked style? And we haven’t even gotten to the shape or flavors yet! All those choices are exciting (and delicious!), but it can also get pretty overwhelming.

To make sure your first sweet bite as newlyweds is everything you’ve imagined, don't forget to ask all questions your cake baker before the wedding.

Today’s naked wedding cake is the ideal modern cake for a late-fall wedding.

The three-tiered cake fits the “naked wedding cake” mold as it is sans icing on the outside. But look at all that icing in between the layers!

The cake is decorated with bright colored berries, which add the perfect pop of color to the cake!

No need for a cake topper as the berries do the trick.

Useful Tips:

Arrange a consultation with your potential cake designer in person, and do a tasting before you sign a contract. NOTE: Not all cake tastings are complimentary.

Make sure your cake designer specializes in wedding cakes. A wedding cake is generally much more elaborate than a birthday cake from your local bakery. Your cake professional should have special training in constructing this type of cake.

In general, you should order your cake 6–8 months prior to your wedding.

You might be able to save money by choosing one overall flavor for your cake, or by having a small cake for display and the cake cutting accompanied by a sheet cake to serve to your guests.